This invention generally relates to a thermometer case and holder for use in housing thermometers of the type used for taking patient's temperatures such as in hospitals or other health care facilities. Cases of this general type have been known in the art and were developed to hold and protect thermometers that were issued to the various patients. Such cases are customarily filled with alcohol or some other disinfectant and kept at the patient's bed. In this way, a nurse is able to move from bed to bed taking temperatures with a patient's personal thermometer, thus eliminating the inconvenience of having to carry sterile thermometers with her when she makes her rounds.
The known thermometer cases of this general type have included an elongated container portion with some form of gripper device at the bottom for securing the bulb of the thermometer when placed therein, a spacer at the top for centering the top of the thermometer when placed therein, and a cap over the top of the thermometer for protection. Alcohol or the like is placed in the container by removal of the cap and spacer.
However, such prior art thermometer cases have certain disadvantages which have been eliminated by the improved thermometer case of this invention. With those cases known in the art, either the lid, or the spacer, or both, are unattached when removed or disengaged from the container portion, and have thus been susceptible to loss or misplacement, and posed problems of inconvenience in handling for the nurse or patient. These disadvantages have been overcome with the subject invention which provides a thermometer case of integral, one-piece plastic construction with both the spacer and cover permanently hinged to the container portion. Additionally, the novel design of this invention, and particularly that of the spacer itself, provides more ready access to the thermometer while maintaining a compact size and while further providing means for securing the cap in the closed position.
Generally, the thermometer case of this invention includes an elongated container portion for containing alcohol or the like and into which the major portion of a thermometer is housed when not in use. Grippers are located at the bottom of the container for securing the bulb portion of the thermometer. A spacer lid is located at the top of the container and is hinged along one edge to a top edge of the container for centering the thermometer near its top with a portion of the thermometer extending above the spacer. A cap fits over the upward extension of the thermometer and is also hinged along one edge so that it can be opened but not completely separated from the remaining portions of the case. The entire case, including the container, the spacer lid, and the cap are of integral, one-piece construction, and the spacer has a concave upper surface for easy access to the thermometer. In a preferred embodiment, the case is tapered for mounting in a holder having a correspondingly tapered pocket for support on a wall or the like.
Thus, the primary objects of this invention are to provide a thermometer case of the type generally described, which is of integral, one-piece construction, where all of the components of the case are permanently secured together, which provides easy access to the thermometer while maintaining a compact design, and which is readily mounted in a holder supported on a wall or the like. These and other objects of the invention are apparent from the drawings and detailed description to follow.